ENGLISH IV

Students in English IV will integrate all the language arts skills gained throughout their education. The curriculum both affirms these skills and equips the students to be life-long learners. Students continue to explore expressive, expository, argumentative, and literary contexts with a focus on British Literature. The emphasis in English IV is on argumentation by developing a position of advocacy through reading, writing, speaking, listening, and using media. Students will:
  • Express reflections and reactions to texts.
  • Explain principles inspired by the curriculum.
  • Interpret and qualify texts.
  • Research and address issues of public or personal concern.
  • Create products and presentations which maintain standard conventions of the written and spoken language

Strands: Oral Language, Written Language, and Other Media/Technology

Competency Goal 1
The learner will express reflections and reactions to print and non-print text as well as to personal experience.

1.01 Compose reflective texts that give the audience: * an understanding of complex thoughts and feelings.
  • a sense of significance (social, political, or philosophical implications).
  • a sense of encouragement to reflect on his or her own ideas.
1.02 Respond to texts so that the audience will: * empathize with the voice of the text.
  • make connections between the learner's life and the text reflect on how cultural or historical perspectives may have influenced these responses.
  • examine the learner's own response in light of peers' responses recognize features of the author's use of language and how the learner relates these features to his/her own writing.
1.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print expressive texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: * selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
  • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
  • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
  • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
  • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
  • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
  • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
  • making connections between works, self and related topics.
  • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
  • identifying and analyzing elements of expressive environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
Competency Goal 2
The learner will inform an audience by exploring general principles at work in life and literature.

2.01 Locate, process, and comprehend texts that explain principles, issues, and concepts at work in the world in order to: * relate complex issues from a variety of critical stances.
  • discern significant differences and similarities among texts that propose different ideas related to similar concepts.
2.02 Analyze general principles at work in life and literature by: * discovering and defining principles at work in personal experience and in literature.
  • predicting what is likely to happen in the future on the basis of those principles.
2.03 Compose texts (in print and non-print media) that help the audience understand a principle or theory by: * researching experience for relevant principles that relate to themes in literature and life.
  • presenting a thesis, supporting it, and considering alternative perspectives on the topic.
  • adjusting the diction, tone, language, and method of presentation to the audience.
2.04 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print informational texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: * selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
  • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
  • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
  • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
  • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
  • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
  • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
  • making connections between works, self and related topics.
  • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
  • identifying and analyzing elements of informational environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
Competency Goal 3
The learner will be prepared to enter issues of public concern as an advocate.

3.01 Research and define issues of public concern by: * using a variety of resources such as the media center, on-line resources, interviews, and personal reflection.
  • specifying the nature of an issue, including the various claims made and the reasoning that supports these claims.
3.02 Organize and deliver an argument so that an intended audience respects it by: * wording the claim clearly.
  • specifying reasons in support of the claim that are likely to be convincing.
  • adopting an appropriate tone and stance toward the issue.
3.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print argumentative texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: * selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
  • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
  • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
  • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
  • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
  • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
  • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
  • making connections between works, self and related topics.
  • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
  • identifying and analyzing elements of argumentative environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
Competency Goal 4
The learner will analyze and critique texts from various perspectives and approaches.

4.01 Develop critiques that enable an audience to judge claims and arguments by: * establishing and applying clear, credible criteria for evaluation.
  • substantiating assessments with reasons and evidence.
4.02 Develop critiques that give an audience: * an appreciation of how themes relate among texts.
  • an understanding of how authors' assumptions, cultural backgrounds, and social values affect texts.
  • an understanding of how more than one critical approach affects interpretation.
4.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print critical texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: * selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
  • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
  • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
  • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
  • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
  • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
  • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
  • making connections between works, self and related topics.
  • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
  • identifying and analyzing elements of critical environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
Competency Goal 5
The learner will deepen understanding of British literature through exploration and extended engagement.

5.01 Explore British literature by: * recognizing common themes that run through works, using evidence from the texts to substantiate ideas.
  • relating the cultural and historical contexts to the literature and identifying perceived ambiguities, prejudices, and complexities.
  • making associations between historical and current viewpoints.
  • understanding how literary movements influence writers.
5.02 Extend engagement with selected works of British literature by: * observing how the imaginative experience of literature broadens and enriches real life.
  • relating style, meaning, and genre (including fiction, non-fiction, drama, and poetry).
  • applying literary, grammatical, and rhetorical terms of literature.
  • demonstrating in various print and non-print media the significance of works.
  • discerning the effect of interpreting literature from various critical perspectives.
5.03 Demonstrate the ability to read, listen to and view a variety of increasingly complex print and non-print literacy texts appropriate to grade level and course literary focus, by: * selecting, monitoring, and modifying as necessary reading strategies appropriate to readers' purpose.
  • identifying and analyzing text components (such as organizational structures, story elements, organizational features) and evaluating their impact on the text.
  • providing textual evidence to support understanding of and reader's response to text.
  • demonstrating comprehension of main idea and supporting details.
  • summarizing key events and/or points from text.
  • making inferences, predicting, and drawing conclusions based on text.
  • identifying and analyzing personal, social, historical or cultural influences, contexts, or biases.
  • making connections between works, self and related topics.
  • analyzing and evaluating the effects of author's craft and style.
  • analyzing and evaluating the connections or relationships between and among ideas, concepts, characters and/or experiences.
  • identifying and analyzing elements of literary environment found in text in light of purpose, audience, and context.
Competency Goal 6
The learner will apply conventions of grammar and language usage.

6.01 Apply knowledge of literary terms, grammar, and rhetoric in order to write clearly, succinctly, and accurately by: * using vocabulary strategies such as context clues, resources, and structural analysis (roots, prefixes, etc.) to determine meaning of words and phrases.
  • understanding how to use and apply grammatical, metaphorical, or rhetorical devices.
  • recognizing how to use different language conventions (such as loose or periodic sentences, effective use of passive voice, or the importance of strong verbs).
  • revising writing to enhance voice and style, sentence variety, subtlety of meaning, and tone in considerations of questions being addressed, purpose, audience, and genres.
  • contrasting use of language conventions of authors in different time periods of British literature.
  • analyzing the power of standard usage over nonstandard usage in formal settings such a job interviews, academic presentations, or public speaking events.
6.02 Discern and correct errors in speaking and writing by: * reviewing and refining purposeful use of various sentence types.
  • editing for correct punctuation, spelling, mechanics, and standard edited American English.
  • using appropriate transitional words and phrases.